The Montana Department of Transportation is gathering public comment on a proposal to extend the sidewalk and shared-use path system in St. Regis.

The project design includes the extension of an existing concrete sidewalk on Tiger Street and Old Highway 10 that will transition into an asphalt path entering the St. Regis Community Park on Mullan Gulch Road.

The reasoning behind this project is to make it easier and more convenient for people to utilize the St. Regis Community Park. From the school and downtown areas, sidewalks would safely take pedestrians and bicyclists to the park.

Longtime civic minded resident Glenn Koepke supplied background information on this project.

“Within the last 20 years, downtown St. Regis has transitioned from a formerly pot-holey or dust-bowley hodgepodge of driveways and parking lots into the current condition with curbing, sidewalks, streetlights, improved drainage, landscaping and safety features. The expansion of the business community meanwhile has been remarkable. The St. Regis Resort District and MDT partnered up over a period of years to make the changes utilizing state help, grants and local matching funds.”

Proposed work for this project includes surveying, environmental permitting, coordination and communication with stakeholders and design of the sidewalk and path with a tentative schedule for construction before the snow returns. No new right-of-way or utility relocations will be needed.

“The park is a cooperative venture between Mineral County and the Forest Service, so those entities will now join into the mix with the state and (St. Regis) Resort District to make further enhancements for the local citizens and visitors to St. Regis,” explained Koepke. “Over the next few years there will be improved trails across the park, new vault toilets, expanded roads, additional parking and access to the Route of the Olympian Rail-Trail via Little Joe Road. Once the sidewalk/pathway makes it into the park the Forest Service will take the lead to design and implement those successive features. The Resort District and St. Regis Community Council can provide updates as the work progresses."

MDT acknowledged that an important part of properly planning for future projects is partnering with the community. The Montana Department of Transportation welcomes the public to provide ideas and comments on the proposed project. Comments may be submitted online or in writing to Montana Department of Transportation, Missoula office at PO Box 7039, Missoula, MT 59807-7039. Please note that comments are for project UPN 1010000. The public is encouraged to contact acting Missoula District Pre-construction Engineer Joel Boucher at 406-544-6107 or Project Design Engineer Joseph Renenger at 406-444-6101.